Carl Vinson CSG departs on deployment

The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CVCSG), led by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, launched from San Diego on Aug. 2 in support of global maritime security operations, according to the US Navy.

The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group will begin their deployment by participating in the Large Scale Exercise 2021. LSE 2021 is a live, virtual, and constructive global-integrated exercise spanning multiple fleets, with the goal of refining synchronized maritime operations based on a progression of scenarios that will assess modern warfare concepts in support of the joint force.

This is also the first time a carrier strike group has deployed with the advanced capabilities of the F-35C Lightning II and Navy CMV-22B Osprey.

Less than a year ago, the strike group’s flagship, Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), completed a 17-month maintenance period and retrofit, during which the ship underwent a complete restoration and system retrofit to accommodate F-35C Lightning II mission capabilities.

“Carl Vinson is the first carrier to accommodate a mix of 4th and 5th generation strike fighters, providing unprecedented lethality and survivability and ensuring the Navy team can operate and win in contested battlespace now and well into the future,” said Capt. Tommy Locke, commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2. “Integrating the new aircraft has truly been a team effort and using these new tools and technology—new sets of multispectral sensors and the information they provide—will increase lethality and survivability of the air wing and strike group. We plan on leveraging recently established tactics, techniques and procedures and developing innovative ways to use the new technologies to enhance our combined warfighting efforts.”

The strike group is a multiplatform team of ships, aircraft and more than 7,000 Sailors, capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions around the globe. Deploying ships and aircraft of the strike group include: USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70); nine squadrons of CVW-2; staffs of CSG 1 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1; Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57); and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers of DESRON 1, which include USS Chafee (DDG 90), USS Dewey (DDG 105), USS Higgins (DDG 76), USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), USS O’Kane (DDG 77) and USS Stockdale (DDG 106).

CVW-2 consists of an F-35C squadron, the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147; three F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons, the “Bounty Hunters” of VFA-2, the “Stingers” of VFA-113, and the “Golden Dragons” of VFA-192; the “Gauntlets” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136, operating the EA-18G Growler; the “Black Eagles” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 113, operating the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye; the “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, operating the CMV-22B Osprey; the “Black Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4, operating the MH-60S Seahawk; and the “Blue Hawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78, operating the MH-60R Seahawk.

Prior to deploying, the strike group successfully completed multiple interoperability operations in the Hawaiian Islands Operating area, which included integrated flight operations between CVW-2’s carrier-based aircraft and land-based Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard aircraft, as well as operations with Coast Guard cutters.

Most recently the strike group completed deployment workups, testing every core warfare area within the group’s mission sets through a variety of simulated and live events, ensuring the carrier strike group is fully capable across the full spectrum of military operations.

Carl Vinson, the strike group’s flagship, on-loaded more than 1,000 tons of ordnance and embarked CVW-2 personnel and aircraft as part of final preparations for deployment. With more than 5,000 crew embarked, and more than 70 aircraft, Vinson is capable of sustaining around-the-clock maritime operations.

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